Hi, my name is Leigh Cassidy and I teach fifth grade at the Molin. Portsmouth is home with its many great restaurants and endless activities. I feel fortunate to live and work in two beautiful seaside towns! The ocean has always been a place to visit and have fun despite the many sunburns I have endured ~ it tends to be the family joke as everyone else seems to tan! Looking forward to the upcoming weekend and incorporating my new knowledge/understanding of the ocean into our current science curriculum.
4/8/11
Enjoyed our first day of Boat Camp with a tour of the Cushing House on High Street. Starting off with the history of the great migration and the division that occured between the traders, boat builders and those involved in agriculture provided a nice beginning to history of ocean literacy. Our discussion of how the ocean and humans are connected in present day provided us with an idea of how ocean literacy has evolved. My new appreciation and understanding of the Cushing House and its importance to the community will be shared with the fifth graders, possibly through discussion or on our end of the year walking tour of Newburyport (if scheduling/time allows).
The two principles of ocean literacy that grabbed my attention were: the ocean is largely unexplored and the ocean and human are inextricably linked. As we know the earth is mostly made up of water which may partially explain why a large portion of the ocean is unexplored. However, I was still amazed by the lack of understanding/knowledge especially when thinking about the connection between the ocean and humans. As we move forward it seems there is more in the media that supports the relationship between the ocean and humans. The Portsmouth Herald consistently provides articles regarding the local seafood initiatives and current issues as there is a huge push for local products. Worldwide we see the connection with the recent events mentioned during class (disks, tsunami, radiation, everyday pollution etc.). On the lighter side.....we also enjoy visiting the beach for some fun and relaxation.
I feel like ocean literacy is going to be easy to implement into our fall adaptation unit and the rocks & mineral unit taught in the spring. I'm just wondering how that may look!?
4/9/11
Another great day of exploring Newburyport's outside resources! In the spring fifth graders study rocks and minerals. The idea of incorporating Google earth and the lesson on glaciers using the left over snow from the Graf rink is simple and effective and a fun way to kick off the unit. I'm hoping to take my new knowledge about the continential shifts & slopes of our oceans (with the help of google earth) to the fifth graders as it will add another element to the rock and mineral unit.
As we explored Sandy Point Beach there were many signs of plants and animals. Beach plum and sumac were easy to spot and I was suprised by the many coyote tracks, owl pellets and owl scat that were observed on our hike. Also, thanks to Cody and his eagle eyes we spied three different garter snakes!
In thinking ahead and to the possibility of taking a field trip to Sandy Point. I'd like to see students explore the area with the understanding of continential shifts, slopes and glaciers and how the current landscape is undergoing changes due to erosion and weathering. Kids love animals and would be very enthusiastic to take a walk and look for signs of animals while making observations of the surrounding area. The experience lends itself to the principle of oceans and humans are inextricably linked.
4/10/11
Wow! Where to begin? The weekend has been jammed pack with great in/outdoor adventures! Touring the Spencer Peirce Little Farm Sunday was a great comparison to the Cushing House regarding the great divide between merchants and those buying land. Although I leave in awe of the homestead and beautiful surroundings I feel so fortunate to live in a time were there is heat and indoor plumbing! Oak Hill Cementary is beautiful, not only due to the rural landscape but the intricate design and detail of the gravestones. The visit was a gentle reminder to be aware of your surroundings and although you may not personally know the deceased individuals many have shaped the world we live in today. Amazing to see how many boats Lowell's Boat Shop produced over the years and without power tools!? Great presentation around the progression of boats and the "art" of fishing.
Often our curriculums don't take advantage of the resources available within their community. It seems the historical information we've gathered over the weekend may be interjected with the current curriculum of you could do a few minilessons that focus on our history here in Newburyport. Although setting up field trips can be costly some of the presenters may be able to visit the classroom, bringing in props and their wealth of information to share with students. Due to the large amount of history in the area touching upon the sites we visited may be enough for the fifth grade students. The goal would be to provide them with interesting historical information about the area while encouraging their curiousity for all types of history as they move through the current curriuclum. Boat Camp Science Lesson #1.doc Boat Camp Science Lesson #2.doc Boat Camp Science Lesson #3.doc
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Hi, my name is Leigh Cassidy and I teach fifth grade at the Molin. Portsmouth is home with its many great restaurants and endless activities. I feel fortunate to live and work in two beautiful seaside towns! The ocean has always been a place to visit and have fun despite the many sunburns I have endured ~ it tends to be the family joke as everyone else seems to tan! Looking forward to the upcoming weekend and incorporating my new knowledge/understanding of the ocean into our current science curriculum.
4/8/11
Enjoyed our first day of Boat Camp with a tour of the Cushing House on High Street. Starting off with the history of the great migration and the division that occured between the traders, boat builders and those involved in agriculture provided a nice beginning to history of ocean literacy. Our discussion of how the ocean and humans are connected in present day provided us with an idea of how ocean literacy has evolved. My new appreciation and understanding of the Cushing House and its importance to the community will be shared with the fifth graders, possibly through discussion or on our end of the year walking tour of Newburyport (if scheduling/time allows).
The two principles of ocean literacy that grabbed my attention were: the ocean is largely unexplored and the ocean and human are inextricably linked. As we know the earth is mostly made up of water which may partially explain why a large portion of the ocean is unexplored. However, I was still amazed by the lack of understanding/knowledge especially when thinking about the connection between the ocean and humans. As we move forward it seems there is more in the media that supports the relationship between the ocean and humans. The Portsmouth Herald consistently provides articles regarding the local seafood initiatives and current issues as there is a huge push for local products. Worldwide we see the connection with the recent events mentioned during class (disks, tsunami, radiation, everyday pollution etc.). On the lighter side.....we also enjoy visiting the beach for some fun and relaxation.
I feel like ocean literacy is going to be easy to implement into our fall adaptation unit and the rocks & mineral unit taught in the spring. I'm just wondering how that may look!?
4/9/11
Another great day of exploring Newburyport's outside resources! In the spring fifth graders study rocks and minerals. The idea of incorporating Google earth and the lesson on glaciers using the left over snow from the Graf rink is simple and effective and a fun way to kick off the unit. I'm hoping to take my new knowledge about the continential shifts & slopes of our oceans (with the help of google earth) to the fifth graders as it will add another element to the rock and mineral unit.
As we explored Sandy Point Beach there were many signs of plants and animals. Beach plum and sumac were easy to spot and I was suprised by the many coyote tracks, owl pellets and owl scat that were observed on our hike. Also, thanks to Cody and his eagle eyes we spied three different garter snakes!
In thinking ahead and to the possibility of taking a field trip to Sandy Point. I'd like to see students explore the area with the understanding of continential shifts, slopes and glaciers and how the current landscape is undergoing changes due to erosion and weathering. Kids love animals and would be very enthusiastic to take a walk and look for signs of animals while making observations of the surrounding area. The experience lends itself to the principle of oceans and humans are inextricably linked.
4/10/11
Wow! Where to begin? The weekend has been jammed pack with great in/outdoor adventures! Touring the Spencer Peirce Little Farm Sunday was a great comparison to the Cushing House regarding the great divide between merchants and those buying land. Although I leave in awe of the homestead and beautiful surroundings I feel so fortunate to live in a time were there is heat and indoor plumbing! Oak Hill Cementary is beautiful, not only due to the rural landscape but the intricate design and detail of the gravestones. The visit was a gentle reminder to be aware of your surroundings and although you may not personally know the deceased individuals many have shaped the world we live in today. Amazing to see how many boats Lowell's Boat Shop produced over the years and without power tools!? Great presentation around the progression of boats and the "art" of fishing.
Often our curriculums don't take advantage of the resources available within their community. It seems the historical information we've gathered over the weekend may be interjected with the current curriculum of you could do a few minilessons that focus on our history here in Newburyport. Although setting up field trips can be costly some of the presenters may be able to visit the classroom, bringing in props and their wealth of information to share with students. Due to the large amount of history in the area touching upon the sites we visited may be enough for the fifth grade students. The goal would be to provide them with interesting historical information about the area while encouraging their curiousity for all types of history as they move through the current curriuclum.
Boat Camp Science Lesson #1.doc
Boat Camp Science Lesson #2.doc
Boat Camp Science Lesson #3.doc